-5- 



Ifeirvestlng Suggestions for the Owner 



Special circulars no» 2ii5 and 2ii6 give harvesting sug- 

 gestions to the orchard foremen and the apple pickers. 

 liiThat about suggestions for the owner? Here are a few 

 worthwhile harvesting suggestions for the groweri 



1, Make contacts for obtaining labor before the 

 harvest season, 



2, Inventory all harvesting equipment well in ad- 

 vance of harvest, 



3, Take time to show pickers how to pick properly 

 and avoid bruising* 



ho Provide good harvesting supervision, 

 5I. Provide picking buckets and ladders of good 

 design, 



6, Keep harvesting equipment in good repair, 



7, Provide plenty of empty containers and picking 

 equipment conveniently located, 



8, Provide adequate toilet facilities, 



9t Provide plenty of cool and conveniently located 

 drinking water, 



10, Explain carefully the system of paying and keep- 

 ing track of the number of bushels picked, 



11, Take time to analyse the handling methods from 

 tree to storage in order to increase efficiency 

 and storage life of the fruit, 



—ED. 

 REDUCE UBOR OF LOADING APPLES ON TRAILJES^ ^'"-'"^ ' ■^. 



A study was conducted in tt© state of V/ashington to accumulate information 

 on methods and costs of loading and moving apples from orchard to the storage §nd 

 and the packing plants, |Si;ich a study vas of value because this operation is a direct 

 cost to the grower and handling methods have a n important bearing on how quickly 

 apples can be moved into cold storage. 



One phase of the research involved a time and labor study of three 

 methods of loading boxes on orchard trailers • Since there is great variability in 

 time of driving and preparation' to pick up boxes, only the actual operation of load- 

 ing boxes was considered. 



Method A — The most common rrethod (A) of loading trailers uses one -vrorker on the 

 ground to lift boxes f rom/^5®?ree, stacking" them in rows on the trailer bed. It is 

 frequently necessary for this workman to carry the boxes several steps in this opera- 

 tion. Another worker stands on the tra. ler bed and picks up the boxes and places 

 them into hauling position. The amount of time required to load the trailer is 3»0ii 

 man hours per 1,000 boxes. 



Method B - A variation of the common method (A) is for the man on the trailer plat- 

 form to stack the center rows on the trailer and then move to the ground, where he 



